Swindon to outsource adult social care

The arrangements will see the transfer of children's health staff to the local authority, and the transfer of NHS Swindon health and social work staff to a new social enterprise. "The NHS Operating Framework 2010-11 requires PCTs to stop directly providing services. As a result of this, arrangements for transfer of NHS staff to a new organisation such as another NHS provider, local authority or social enterprise, need to be in place by 1 April 2011," according to minutes from a cabinet meeting, published on 13 October 2010. The council believes that transferring PCT children's staff to the council will be an opportunity for it to build on integrated services with NHS Swindon and achieve "further benefits by transferring staff to a single employer". However, the council also acknowledged in the meeting that a number of key risks will need to be "assessed and addressed through the necessary legal agreements" before any changes can be implemented. "As the council cannot provide health services without a partnership agreement, these would need to include a number of Section 75 Agreements to cover both the commissioning and provision of services for both adults and children's services," the cabinet added. Health secretary Andrew Lansley's Liberation of the NHS white paper included plans for social enterprises to run some public services.